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Honduras’ left-wing breakthrough
Since a US-backed coup toppled Mel Zelaya in 2009, Honduras has faced a clampdown on democracy and serious human rights abuses. But the election of socialist Xiomara Castro is a chance to break the cycle, writes FRANCISCO DOMINGUEZ
Xiomara Castro has won the elections, but will now face a wide range of political, social and economic subversion
by Roger D Harris and John Perry
VINCE MILLS says Scottish Labour has adopted better positions than its Westminster counterpart — but unless it starts to fight for them that will count for nothing
Labour MSP CAROL MOCHAN calls for Britain to follow France’s lead and recognise the Palestinian state as part of efforts to end this war
WHAT appeared impossible has been achieved: the people of Honduras have broken the perpetuation, through electoral fraud and thuggish violence, of a brutal, illegal, illegitimate and criminal regime.
By means of sheer resistance, resilience, mobilisation and organisation, they have managed to defeat Juan Orlando Hernandez’s narco-dictatorship at the ballot box.
Xiomara Castro, presidential candidate of the left-wing Libre party (the Freedom and Refoundation Party, in its Spanish acronym), obtained a splendid 50+ per cent — between 15 to 20 per cent more votes than her closest rival candidate, Nasry Asfura, National Party candidate, in an election with historic high levels of participation (68 per cent).
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